A story on MCV with a quote in the headline (which isn't in the article itself) stating "Valve monopoly is killing PC market," reports they understand "that at least two big-name digital retailers are facing financial difficulties as they struggle to compete" with Steam. "I've fought hard for my customer, and never before have I had to give my customers away. Steam is killing the PC market and it is no wonder digital retailers are failing," says the director of a Steam rival. "Steam is locking down the market." In a separate report they also discuss retailer dissatisfaction with Steam's dominance of the marketplace, which insiders tell them amounts to 80% of PC downloadable games. Since this competes with online sales initiatives by retailers, they say at least two major U.K. merchants will demand that publishers remove Steam integration from their games or they will refuse to sell them. With PC game sales at retail stores in steady decline, it seems an odd moment for these stores to flex their atrophying muscle, but they quote the head of sales at a big-name digital service provider saying: "At the moment the big digital distributors need to stock games with Steam. But the power resides with bricks and mortar retailers, they can refuse to stock these titles. Publishers are hesitant, but retail must put pressure on them."

Shataan wrote on Nov 11, 2010, 12:15:"what really is driving people to Steam"

= convenience

Wrong! What is really driving people to steam? You can't play a damn PC game without it! IN other words, you have no choice but to play almost any PC game on steam no matter where you bought it.

Wrong? Nah. Steam provides better prices(generally), much greater accessibility(no CD, no key management, works on any PC or Mac with only the limit that you can only be logged on to your account on one machine at a time), and they provide direct matchmaking/friend tracking for games sold through Steam(which is my favorite daily use feature).

Well, you are entitled to your opinion. I just really hate steam. I long for the days when I could buy a game, plug in the CD code, install, and play. BF: 1942 is a great example of that.